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Texas Longhorns running back Malcolm Brown (28) is stopped dead by Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Jaydan Bird (55) and Travis Lewis (12) in the fourth quarter of the "2011 Red River Shootout" football game between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas on October 8, 2011 at the Cotton Bowl. Texas lost 55-17.

Texas will take an eight-game losing streak against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 into Saturday’s AT&T Red River Rivalry against No. 13 Oklahoma. The streak has mirrored Texas’ decline as a national power. Counting the BCS title game loss to Alabama following the 2009 season, Texas is 1-10 in its last 11 games against the Top 25.

The reversal of fortune was pronounced. Sandwiched between a 12-0 loss to Oklahoma in 2004 and the Alabama loss, Texas had played 21 teams ranked in the AP Top 25 — and won 18 of those games.

While Texas appears much better now than it has been the last two seasons, the Longhorns still could use that one victory that signals a return to the national stage.

“To be considered one of the best,” quarterback David Ash, “you have to be able to beat the best. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Texas had an opportunity Saturday against West Virginia and lost, 48-45. A win might have moved Texas to the doorstep of the Top 5.

“That’s the disappointing thing,” Brown said. “The positive thing on Saturday night was that we had a chance to beat a team that’s as good as anybody in the country with a bunch of seniors. The sad thing about Saturday night is we missed an opportunity to get back in the mix quickly.”

The narrow loss also revealed raw nerves among those in burnt orange.

Former Longhorn Henry Melton, now with the Chicago Bears, tweeted that he was “100% embarrassed of this Texas defense” and that “these guys can’t stop a nose bleed.”

Senior safety Kenny Vaccaro also took to Twitter, too, at 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning: “Not gonna give a tebow speech. But I will do everything I can to make sure our team fixes what needs to be fixed. Don’t have many more left.”

He clarified the tweet Monday, saying that he didn’t “have the all the answers and I can’t give you a single answer that will work.”

In the eight losses to ranked teams, Texas has been unable to match opponents offensively. Texas has allowed an average of 36.6 points in those eight games. The West Virginia game was the first time during the streak that Texas scored more than 26 points.

For two seasons, the quarterback position failed to deliver the big numbers needed in the Big 12, with a transition from Garrett Gilbert to Case McCoy to Ash, who has stabilized the job.

If there’s a common theme in the streak, it’s the play of the opposing quarterback, whether it was Robert Griffin III or Brandon Weeden or Landry Jones.

Now Texas sees itself as having a chance with Ash, ranked third nationally in passing efficiency.

“Really, it’s only a couple of plays that separate the ranked teams from the unranked teams,” offensive guard Mason Walters said.

Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl could be the perfect springboard. All three of Texas’ BCS appearances under Brown followed wins over the Sooners, including the two trips to the BCS title game and the 2005 national championship.

With Oklahoma ranked 13th, the streak talk would go away, even though Brown noted that Texas beat Oklahoma State this year when the Cowboys were ranked by the coaches poll.

“It’s momentum,” Vaccaro said. “It will just help our season that much more knowing that we are an elite team.”